Postage stamp container and affixer



Aug. 1, 1939. s. G. RICHARDS v POSTAGE STAMP CONTAINER AND AFFIXER FiledApril 18, 1938 iii Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEPOSTAGE STAMP CONTAINER AND AFFIXER The object of my invention is toprovide a container of simple, durable and inexpensive construction andwhich may conveniently be held in an operators one hand and into whichan operator may readily and easily insert a roll of postage stamps withhis other hand and with the outer end stamp projected into the dischargepassageway of the device and in position to be engaged by the operatorsthumb on the hand which holds the container, and whereby the operationof loading the container ready for use is quickly and easily performed.

A further object is to provide improved means for conveniently andeasily advancing or retarding the strip of postage stamps to positionwhere the perforated line between the individual stamps is accuratelyaligned with the cutting edges of the stamp cutting and affixing deviceso that stamps are not mutilated, and further to provide simple andeasily operated means for firmly clamping the strip of stamps andcovering and protecting both surfaces of the strip of stamps adjacentthe stamp that is projected beyond the device, so that there is nodanger of the strip of stamps moving during the act of tearing off theprojected stamp, and so that moisture applied to the projected stampwill not reach the stamps adjacent thereto.

A further object is to provide improved and simplified means for closingthe open side of the container after a roll of stamps has been placedtherein and at the same time closing the slot at the side of the stampguiding and clamping device, and providing a convenient handle for usein removing the detachable side of the container.

111 the accompanying drawing Figure 1 shows a side elevation of myimproved postage stamp container and afiixer grasped in an operatorshand and having the cover removed, the stamp guide and clamping memberbeing shown in section;

Figure 2 shows a side elevation of same with the cover in the positionin which it is placed on the container before being turned to clampingposition;

Figure 3 shows a top view illustrating the stamp guiding and aflixingmember;

Figure 4 shows a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 shows a sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 2; and

Figure '7 shows a side view of the inner side of the detachable covermember.

Referring to the accompanying drawing I have used the reference numeralII] to indicate generally the stamp container. It is cylindrical inoutline and open at one side. At the open side I provide a series oflugs ll projected inwardly. Affixed to the container and projectedtangentially from it is the stamp guiding member l2, having upwardlyextended sides 13 and inwardly extended marginal edges [4 spaced apartfrom the member l2. The outer edge is straight and at right angles tothe longitudinal axis of the guide l-Z.

Near the end of the guide l2 adjacent the container I preferably providea raised, longitudinally-arranged rib I5 for purposes hereinafter .madeclear.

As shown in Figure 2 the upright side member- 43 is cut away adjacentthe body of the container, for purposes hereinafter made clear.

The outer portion of the container is made of resilient metal and isextended tangentially substantially parallel with the guide l2, and isin-' serted under the marginal edges l4, thus forming a clamping memberHi. This clamping member is formed with an opening at ll.

The cover member is indicated generally by the numeral l8 and has on itsinner surface a discshaped member 19 having a series of outwardlyextending lugs 20 spaced apart from the cover, as shown in Figure 6. Italso has at one side an outwardly projecting handle and closure member2!. The shape of this member 2| is such that" when the cover is inclosed position it will overlap the open side of the guide member andform a closure for it, and it also forms a convenient handle forrotating and clamping the cover memher in position.

The roll of stamps is indicated generally by the numeral 22, and theprojecting strip of stamps in the guide member is indicated by thereference numeral 23. Afiixed to the central portion of the container isa post 24 adapted to receive the roll of stamps and to support the rollcentrally and rotatably Within the container.

In practical use a roll of stamps may be very conveniently and. easilyloaded into the container by simply removing the side of the containerand placing the roll of stamps on the post 24. While this is being donea portion of the strip of stamps is projected from the roll, theoperator may readily and easily hold the container in one hand, as shownin Figure 1, with his thumb extended partly through the opening l1. Withthe operators other hand the roll is grasped and the extended strip ofstamps may be easily guided through the opening between the side wall l3and the body of the container so that this extended strip of stamps maybe projected under the operators thumb which grasps the container. Whenthis has been done the operator applies the cover member. This is doneby placing it on the container in the position shown in Figure 2, andthen grasping the handle member and rotating it to position covering theopening in the side of the guide member l3, and when this has been donethe roll of stamps will be completely enclosed and protected, and thecover will be held in position by the coacting lugs II and 20. Then theoperator may, with the thumb extended through the opening l1, advance orretract the projected strip of stamps until the stamp at the end has itsperforated edge exactly in line with the straight outer end of the guidedevice and the clamping member l6. This may be easily and convenientlyaccomplished because the rib l5 separates the body of the gummed side ofthe stamps from the guide member l2 and thus reducesfriction. When theprojected stamp is in its proper position, then the operator simplypresses his thumb downwardly and thereby moves the end of the yieldingclamping member IE to position lying fiat against the top surface of thestrip of stamps, and forces the outer portion of the strip of stampsfirmly against the top surface of the guide member l2. In this way thestampsare firmly held so that the operator may readily and easilymoisten the gummed portion of the projected stamp, affix it to a letterand then tear it off along the perforated lines. It will always be tornstraight along this line because the operator uses the straight edge ofthe guide and clamping member for this purpose.

When water is being applied to the gummed side of the stamp no water canenter or engage the stamps that are within the guide and clamping devicebecause the clamping member completely and fully covers the uppersurface of the stamp and holds the gummed surface of the stamp firmlyagainst the adjacent surface of the guide member.

I have found in practical use that an operator, with my improved device,can easily and accurately affix a large number of stamps in a minimum oftime, and more particularly, with my device the stamps are always tornoff accurately along the perforated line and the unused stamps withinthe container and guide are never injured becauseof moisture appliedthereto, when wetting the gummed portions of the projected stamp.

I claim as my invention:

1. A postage stamp container and afiixer, comprising a cylindrical bodyportion open at one side and having a fixed post at its central portionto receive a roll of stamps, a detachable cover for the open end of thebody, said body and cover having co-acting locking lugs to secure thecover in position on the body, and said cover also having a projectinghandle and cover device fixed thereto, a guide device projected from theperiphery of the body and having its side edges extended upwardly andthen inwardly toward each other, a portion of the side of the guidemember adjacent the body being open and said projecting handle and coverdevice being shaped to cover said open portion of the guide device whenin position on the body, and a yielding top member for the guide deviceformed with a slot and inserted below the inwardly extended edges of theguide member.

2. A postage stamp container and aflixer, comprising a container bodyopen at one side to receive a roll of postage stamps, a guide memberprojected from the container and having a flat top surface, a springstamp-clamping member positioned above the guide member andsubstantially parallel therewith and yieldingly held away from the guidemember and movable toward and from the guide member, said springstampclamping member having an opening through which an operators thumbmay be inserted to engage a strip of stamps in the guide member, wherebythe strip of stamps may be freely moved within the guide member toadvance or retract the stamps and when in the desired position it may befirmly grasped and held by pressure of the operators thumb on the springclamping member.

3. A postage stamp container and aifixer, comprising a container bodyopen at one side to receive a roll of postage stamps, a guide memberprojected from the container and having a flat top surface, a springstamp-clamping member positioned above the guide member andsubstantially parallel therewith and yieldingly held away from the guidemember and movable toward and from the guide member, said springstampclamping member having an opening through which an operators thumbmay be inserted to engage a strip of stamps in the guide member,-

whereby the strip of stamps may be freely moved within the guide memberto advance or retract the stamps and when in the desired position it maybe firmly grasped and held by pressure of the operators thumb on thespring clamping member, said guide member being formed with side membersextended upwardly and then inwardly over the spring clamping member toenclose a strip of stamps therein and protect them from being wettedwhen water is applied to the stamps.

SAMUEL G. RICHARDS.

